Utah leads nation in home computer usage

Utah Governor Jon M. Huntsman, Jr., is pleased with a recently released report by the U.S. Census Bureau. The report shows that Utah ranks highest in the nation in home computer usage.The number one ranking is an improvement from the previous report in which Utah ranked second.

Seventy-four percent of households in Utah have a computer in their home. This number is up from 68 percent in 2001. The percentage represents approximately 1.8 million people in Utah who have computers in their home.

Other states with high computer use include Alaska, New Hamshire, Washington, and Colorado indicated the Census Bureau report.

Utah also ranks high in home internet usage. According to the Census Bureau, 63 percent of Utah households have access to the internet in their homes. The report ranks Utah as the fifth highest state in the nation for home internet usage.

According to the report, this represents a dramatic improvement in the last few years. In 2001, Utah ranked 14th in the nation in internet usage, when 54 percent of respondents reported that they used the internet in their homes indicated the Census Bureau.

"Home computer use and internet use are important economic development tools, particularly as we continue our efforts to convince technology savvy companies to grow or expand in Utah," stated Governor Huntsman.

Robert Spendlove, manager of Demographic and Economic Analysis in the governor's office of planning and budget, said that Utah's high ranking is consistent with the state's young, well-educated population.

"Nationwide, computer use tends to be higher in households with school-age children and with householders who are married, and have higher educational attainment than average," explained Spendlove.

Utah ranks among the highest in the nation in educational attainment and it has the youngest population in the nation, with the highest share of its residents in the five to 17 age group.

The report is based on data collected in a supplement to the U.S. Census Bureau's 2003 current population survey that included questions about computer and internet use at home, school and work.